Day 4 – Noon Sunday - 8/21/2005 – mile 31 – 12:05 PM
Well, with some sadness and trepidation it seems my hike is over. I arrived in Waverly around noon eastern standard time. I got going around 5 AM this morning and was on the road by 6 AM just as the first light of dawn was showing on the horizon. It was so pleasant hiking in the cool, moist air of this morning. Also, my pack had grown increasingly light from me exhausting all my water and food and it felt much less burdensome upon my back. I walked all morning and finally reached the ancient, rickety timber bridge traversing the Norfolk Southern rail line and knew I was almost there. I have traveled over this bridge a thousand times during my lifetime on my journeys to Waverly via car.
I stopped by the grave yard and checked on my grandparent’s graves as I walked into town. I couldn’t find any flowers to place on their markers, but someone had recently put out some really nice silk flowers in the previous weeks. They were yet to be bleached by the sun. I then walked on up through town passing the two, small country churches on the right. Their parking lots were filled with cars as the locals were there for Sunday service. I reminisced about the many times I sat in that small Baptist Church with my grandmother listening to the preacher preach fire and damnation for our sins. After a few more hundred yards, I walked up the long driveway to my great aunt’s house to end my journey.
I am sitting outside my great aunt’s house as I write this. Apparently she is still at church and will not return for another half hour. She knew I was coming and said she would have some stuff cooked. She was going to fix one of my favorites, peach cobbler with peaches she had picked this summer. I look forward to a good, home cooked meal in a few moments then I will call my parent’s and see if one of them can come and pick me up. I didn’t plan on arriving so early and Charlie will not be through here until late tomorrow afternoon. I don’t really feel like hanging out at my great aunt’s house longer than I have to.
It is also so nice to have unlimited water. For the past three days I have had to carefully manage my water intake with what I could carry. I pulled out my great aunt’s hose pipe and drank until I could drink no more. The cool, refreshing water was wonderful. I almost started to fill up my water bottles out of habit, but realized I would soon be home and water was now in ready supply.
Here’s to a journey’s end!
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